rock star husband & band

no i haven't gone stalking lenny kravitz like i did in my college years realizing only now that the pedestal of 'cool' i had him spending years perched on could have easily been called the pedestal of 'weird guy who wears the most bizarre things'. rather, this is more about my hubbie...the rock star known as pat. oh yes, don't be fooled by his endless collection of polos, button ups and all things khaki, his military hair cut that has only changed the length of a small ant in the past 15 years or his quest for the most 'reliable' car. he is 100% rock star and i will tell you why.

some of you may know that i recently celebrated the ninth anniversary of my 21st birthday. i know your shocked, i can hear the gasps even now, 'WHAT??? i thought katie was only 25' or 'REALLY, she just seems so much wiser than that tender age'. really. im hearing you loud and clear. but, no, its true, i have graduated to the new '20' as everyone keeps reminding me with care, concern and a tone of offering somber condolences in their voice. if you want the truth (which you will always manage to find here) i hadn't given it much thought. i gave it a lot of thought when i turned 29, but with all the spare time ive had the last several months, i just havent really spent much time thinking about it. of course there were the three bdays of my circle (a group of 4 of us from college that are so strangely close we pretended to be sisters once and it wasnt in the 3rd grade, it was last year...crazy and embarassing beyond words, i know) to remind me that my time (being the youngest of the circle by a few months) was coming. but, i really did not have plans or lofty aspirations for how i would spend my day. i was just hoping to have coffee with a great friend i was visiting in colorado springs in the morning, an uneventful drive to estes park and a reunion with my family that had been long awaited and much anticipated. thats it. time with family and an early bedtime and maybe a break from some diaper changing. rock star had other plans.

ill skip all of the mindless details and get to the part where said rock star orchestrated a wonderful dinner at a fabulous italian restaraunt where my entire family (minus one brother in law who was injured the week before) was able to be there with my sister carebear, 2 daughters and husband arriving from the airport in denver just in time. there was carrot cake, the birthday song and of course the tag team of chasing peach around a nice restaraunt. it could not have been any better. i felt unbelievably blessed to spend my birthday with family. dinner with them would have been more than enough. however, rock star status is not achieved by fancy dinner reservations alone. oh no. there has to be an element of creative, sensitive, mysterious genius involved for this title.

we went back to the condos for presents and what not and pat pulled out a book that my sister marty had assembled and began reading through the emails/letters and return addresses of an entire bag of cards. unbelievable. i was speechless except for that nasal thing that happens when the ugly cry takes over. he (with the help of family) and so many of you (the band) had collected so many thoughtful words that i am still feeling overwhelmed. i am blown away at the thoughtfulness he continues to show me and the profound blessing of your friendships. i cant thank him, the fam or all of you enough for taking the time to send your birthday wishes and more my way. it made for a day, a moment, a time in my life that i will treasure forever and truly never forget. you would be able to see a picture of my while these were being read to me, but the ugly cry was so ugly that i cannot bring myself to post it. you would thank me for doing so if you could see it. trust me. tears, weird eyes, snot and what not.

just know it meant the world to me. more than you can possibly imagine.